Furnace wall



July 13, 1937. M. H. KUHNER x:r AL

FURNACE WALL Filed NOV. 4, 1955 6 MN 3 o f E M HE 30H K.. XT

Patented July 13, 1937 UNITED STATS PATENT orifice FURNACE WALL setts Application November 4, 1935, Serial No. 48,119

9 Claims.

This invention relates to furnace walls, and more particularly to walls of the type comprising spaced parallel tubes through which a cooling uid is passed to prevent overheating of the wall.

It has been proposed to close the spaces between the tubes by means of blocks which in some cases extend around the inner or furnace sides of the tubes, but no thoroughly satisfactory means has heretofore been suggested for holding the blocks in place. With certain constructions it is necessary to remove the outer insulating casing of the wall in order to obtain access to the fastening means for the blocks. With other constructions the blocks are not held firmly against the tubes, and as a result overheating of the blocks occurs. With still other constructions it is necessary to weld lugs or other devices to the tubes, which has many disadvantages.

It is accordingly one object of the invention to provide an improved furnace wall of the type having spaced parallel tubes and blocks closing the spaces between the tubes, the parts being so constructed and arranged that the' blocks can be installed and removed from the furnace side of the Wall, and when the blocks are in place they will be held firmly against the tubes.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved furnace Wall having tubes spaced comparatively closely together, and blocks closing the spaces between the tubes and readily installed or removed from the furnace side of the wall. l

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved block particularly adapted for closing the spaces between the tubes of a furnace wall.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved locking device particularly adapted for fastening blocks to the tubes of a furnace wall.

With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.

Referring to the drawing illustrating one embodiment of the invention, and in which like reference numerals indicate like parts,

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a portion of a furnace wall, viewed from the furnace side;

Fig. 2 is -a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a block; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a locking device. In Vthe drawing we have shown a furnace Wall comprising a row of spaced parallel vertical tubes l through which a suitable cooling fluid, such as water or steam, may be passed in a well-known manner to prevent overheating of the wall. The tubes are preferably spaced rather closely together in order to obtain a substantial cooling effect. For example, we have found that with tubes 31A; inches in outside diameter, and water as a cooling medium, a spacing of l1/4 inches between the centers of the tubes is satisfactory. Against the outer surface of the tubes there is provided a layer II of firebrick or other refractory material, and outside of the firebrick there is shown a layer I2 of a suitable heat insulating material. A casing I4 of sheet metal is mounted against the outer surface of the heat insulating layer I2.

Between each pair of adjacent tubes I0 there is provided a vertical row of blocks I5, the blocks being so shaped that they may be inserted between the tubes from the inner or furnace side of the wall. In the preferred construction the inner portion IB of each block is widened to produce a block substantially T-shaped in crosssection, as shown particularly in Fig. 2, the lateral surfaces I'I of the blocks being concave to fit closely against the tubes at the inner side of the plane defined by the axes of the tubes.

In order to hold the blocks in position, we provide locking devices I9 which engage the surfaces of the tubes at the outer side of the plane defined by the axes of the tubes, and we preferably so construct these locking devices that the blocks will tend to slide over them under the influence of gravity and thus be forced outwardly against the tubes. For this purpose each block is formed with two recesses` or notches 20 therein, one in the upper end of the block and one in they lower end of the block, and the outer wall 2| of each notch is sloped inwardly in a direction toward the center of the block. The' locking devices I9 are shaped to provide upper and lower surfaces 23 which slope away from each other in the inward direction, and which at assembly contact with the sloping walls 2| and force the blocks outwardly against the tubes. These surfaces 23 are provided by aring the inner portion of the device in a vertical plane. It will be noted from Fig. 3 that' the locking devices I9 contact only with the outer walls 2I of the notches 20 and are spaced slightly from the inner walls of the notches, so

that the blocks I are free to move outwardly into firm contact with the tubes. The outer portion of each locking device is flared laterally in a horizontal plane to provide concave surfaces 24 which contact with the tubes at assembly. A slight clearance space 25 is provided between adjacent blocks l5 in each vertical row so that they may engage the locking devices rmly.

While it is possible, by decreasing certain dimensions of the locking devices I9, to construct each locking device in a single integral piece and still insert it between the tubes from the furnace side, this will necessitate some sacrifice in strength and contact area, particularly when the tubes are closely spaced. For this reason we prefer to divide each locking device intoI two parts, each of which can be placed in position separately. In the preferred construction, each device l 9 is divided into two sections along a central vertical plane perpendicular to the plane of the tube axes, each section of the device having a maximum thickness slightly less than the space between adjacent tubes.

In order to facilitate removal of the locking devices I 9, they are preferably provided with transverse notches 2 on their inner faces. By inserting a small bar or lever in the notch 21 in one of the sections, it is a simple matter to pry this section upwardly and remove the same, whereupon the other section and then the block beneath can be removed.

In mounting the blocks I5 on the tubes, it is considered desirable to start the blocks at the bottoms of the vertical rows, these lowermost blocks being supported by any suitable means. The locking devices I9 can then be inserted, one section at a time, and dropped into place in the notches 20 in the upper ends of the blocks. The neXt higher blocks can then be inserted and lowered until they rest upon the locking devices therebeneath. The weight of the blocks will cause the surfaces 2| to slide along the surfaces 23 on the locking devices and thus force the blocks outwardly into firm contact with the tubes. This result will be brought about despite any slight inaccuracies in the tube spacing.

The construction is simple and inexpensive. The blocks can be inserted or removed entirely from the furnace side of the wall, without any necessity for obtaining access to the outside of the wall or disturbing the casing and insulation. The refractory layer H can be placed in direct contact with the outside of the tubes without interfering with the blocks I5 or the locking devices I9.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A furnace wall comprising a series of nonhorizontal spaced parallel tubes, rows of blocks having concave surfaces which contact with the tubes at the inner side of the plane defined by the axes of the tubes, the blocks in each row being slightly spaced apart, and locking means separable from the tubes and contacting with the tubes at the outer side of the said plane, the blocks engaging the locking means and these parts having cooperating surfaces so arranged that movement of the blocks relative to the tubes and locking means in a direction parallel to the axes of the tubes under the inuence of gravity will cause both the blocks and the locking means to move into firm contact with the tubes.

2. A furnace wall comprising a series of nonhorizontal spaced parallel tubes, rows of blocks having concave surfaces which contact with the tubes at the inner side of the plane defined by the axes of the tubes, the blocks in each row being slightly spaced apart, and a series of locking devices mounted between the blocks and contacting with the tubes at the outer side of the said plane, the blocks and the locking devices having cooperating surfaces so arranged that when the blocks move toward each other under the iniiuence of gravity the locking devices will pull the blocks outwardly into firm contact with the tubes.

3. A furnace wall comprising a pair of spaced parallel tubes, a row of blocks mounted between the tubes and slightly spaced apart, the blocks contacting with the tubes at the inner side of the plane defined by the axes of the tubes, and a series of locking devices mounted between the respective blocks and contacting with the tubes at the outer side of the said plane, the blocks and the locking devices having cooperating surfaces so arranged that when the blocks move toward each other the locking devices will pull the blocks outwardly into rm contact with the tubes.

4. A furnace wall comprising a pair of nonhorizontal spaced parallel tubes, a row of blocks mounted between the tubes and slightly spaced apart, the blocks contacting with the tubes at the inner side of the plane defined by the axes of the tubes, and a series of locking devices mounted between the respective blocks and contacting with the tubes at the outer side of the said plane, the blocks and the locking devices having cooperating surfaces so arranged that when the blocks move toward each other under the influence of gravity the locking devices will pull the blocks outwardly into firm contact with the tubes.

5. A furnace wall comprising a pair of spaced parallel tubes, a row of blocks mounted between the tubes and slightly spaced apart, the blocks being so constructed that they may be placed in position from the inner side of the wall and when in position they will contact with the tubes at the inner side of the plane dened by the axes of the tubes, and a series of locking devices mounted between the respective blocks, the locking devices being so constructed that they may be placed in position from the inner side of the wall and when in position they will contact with the tubes at the outer side of the said plane, the blocks and the locking devices having cooperating surfaces so arranged that when the blocks move toward each other the locking devices will pull the blocks outwardly into firm contact with the tubes.

6. A furnace wall comprising a pair of spaced parallel tubes, a row of blocks mounted between the tubes and slightly spaced apart, the blocks being substantially T-shaped in cross-section and i provided with concave surfaces which contact with the tubes at the inner side of the plane dened by the axes of the tubes, and a series of locking devices mounted between the respective blocks and provided with concave surfaces which contact with the tubes at the outer side of the said plane, the blocks and the locking devices having cooperating surfaces so arranged that when the blocks move toward each other the locking devices will pull the blocks outwardly into firm contact with the tubes.

'7. A furnace wall comprising a pair of nonhorizontal spaced parallel tubes, a row of blocks mounted between the tubes and slightly spaced apart, the blocks being substantially T-shaped in cross-section and provided with concave surfaces which contact with the tubes at the inner side of the plane defined by the axes of the tubes, each block having a transverse notch in each end with the outer wall of each notch sloping inwardly in a.

direction toward the center of the block, and a series of locking devices mounted between the respective blocks and contacting with the tubes at the outer side of the said plane, the locking devices having surfaces which engage the said sloping outer walls of the notches, the locking devices being spaced slightly from the inner walls of the notches and the parts being so constructed and arranged that as the blocks move toward each other under the influence of gravity, they will be forced outwardly into iirm contact with the tubes.

8. A furnace wall comprising a pair of nonhorizontal spaced parallel tubes, a row of blocks mounted between the tubes and slightly spaced apart, the blocks being substantially T-shaped in cross-section and provided with concave surfaces which contact with the tubes at the inner side of the plane defined by the axes of the tubes, each block having a transverse notch in each end, and a series of locking devices mounted between the respective blocks and contacting with the tubes at the outer side of the said plane, the locking devices having upper and lower surfaces which slope away from each other in the inward direction and engage the outer walls of the notches, the locking devices being spaced slightly from the inner walls of the notches and the parts being so constructed and arranged that as the blocks move toward each other under the inuence of gravity, they will be forced outwardly into rm contact with the tubes.

9. A furnace wall comprising a pair of nonhorizontal spaced parallel tubes, a row of blocks mounted between the tubes and slightly spaced apart, the blocks being substantially T-shaped in cross-section and provided with concave surfaces which contact with the tubes at the inner side of the plane defined by the axes of the tubes, each block having a transverse notch in each end with the outer wall of each notch sloping inwardly in a direction toward the center of the block, and a series of locking devices mounted between the respective blocks and contacting with the tubes at the outer side of the said plane, the locking devices having upper and lower surfaces which slope away from each other in the inward direction and engage the said outer walls of the notches, the locking devices being spaced slightly from the inner walls of the notches and the parts being so constructed and arranged that as the blocks move toward each other under the influence of gravity, they will be forced outwardly into rm contact with the tubes.

MAX H. KU-INER. GUSTAV A. REHM. 

